On the Blog

This past week has been one of extreme darkness and anxiety. But how do we, individually and collectively, think through and deal with these moments of our lives? A survey of writers on finding our way and building the beloved community we aspire to.

We rarely know the pain and suffering that envelops the people closest to us. In this loving tribute, the poetic structure of an Auden poem serves as a frame to remember a neighbor who loved dogs but couldn't hang onto life.

Making connections can be "life-giving" but they can also reinforce "damaging divides." Courtney Martin is reminded of the vitality of human bonds — and the chasms that remain in this hypernetworked world.

What do Muslims do or say in response to the murders of a dozen people who were killed in the name of Islam? Omid Safi explores the catch 22 Muslims find themselves in, and how we must hold each other all accountable.

In a somber week, Omid Safi offers a powerful reminder to remember the humanity at stake in world news, Reza Aslan provides needed context, Parker Palmer reflects on the illuminating power of Thomas Merton's words, a writer muses on our discomfort with death, and Courtney Martin pens a love letter to the shared silences that join us together.

Watch this cross-generational conversation at PopTech in which Courtney Martin and Parker Palmer contemplate the meaning of rebellion, and finding a balance between inner and outer lives and the simplicity that lies on the other side of complexity.

As streams of breaking news about the shootings in Paris surge into all our media, Omid Safi invites us to step forward and consider the broader context of what's at stake and how to process this horiffic news.

There are few more influential writers than the Trappist monk Thomas Merton. His writings continue to inspire, mentor, and impact new generations of readers. Our columnist Parker Palmer remembers when he first met Merton's words and how they continue to shape him today.

Our executive editor's weekly look into our most interesting worlds of curiosity and hope — including a bit of Papal/physicist humor, questions for the new year, praise for sacred inefficiencies, an introduction to the Muslim festival of Mawlid, and a meditation on the gifts of winter.

Tonight, all around the world, many Muslims celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad with festive decorations, devotional songs, and sweet candies. Omid Safi explains the annual ritual in more detail and the debate among Muslims about celebrating it.

Hibernation restores us to our nourishing, grounding source and in so doing, frees us to become a force of reason, reflection, and kindness. A meditation for the gifts of winter and the blessings of solitude and rest.

Forgiveness is at the center of the connection between history and the future. For the final night of Hanukkah, poet Esther Cohen and photographer Matthew Septimus offer this postcard for your reflection.